Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Going coastal

With the sizzling summer temperatures finally reaching the valley it was time to turn our hikes toward the cooler areas so Alice and I along with guest hiker Dorothy headed for the coast and the cool ocean breezes to guide our path. Our destination was the Tennessee Valley in the Marin Headlands.

The Martin Headlands is a gorgeous section of coast near the Golden Gate Bridge that encompasses several beaches and hiking trails. A section joins with the Coastal Trail that winds along to Oregon. We settled for about a 3 mile stretch for Sunday excursion to get out of the stifling valley heat.

It's an easy trail that guides you to Tennessee Beach where dark sand and cold ocean waves converge along the cliffs. We explored the waves lapping at our feet before heading to an overlook in the cliffs. It was a grand view on a clear day and the emerald green of the ocean below us.

Our hikes for the rest of the summer will push us further along the coast as we take a break for the warm valley trails. Santa Cruz, Half Moon Bay and Point Reyes are some of our future prospects as we take in the views by the coast.